Wanted to become the belle of the ball but couldn’t figure out how? Well, we’ll let you in on a secret and we hope you’ll take it to good use. Let’s start by having a visual example. Just imagine going to a big party or soiree and upon arriving, you instantly become the center of everyone’s attention.

Every eye is glued on you, not because of the fancy couture gown you’re wearing, not even the the expensive jewelries nor because of the beautiful make up you’re donning but because of the the timeless classic Baby Monogramme Phyton shoulder bag from Saint Laurent that you are clutching. Believe it or not, a bag is that one accessory that can transform your look from blah to ooh lah lah. Perfectly suited for women with impeccable fashion taste, this YSL cult favorite goes well not only for everyday look but also for evening elegant affairs. Be like Cinderella who exudes confidence by taking this YSL bag to that big party.

You’ll absolutely fall in love with this eye candy as it has the following features: it is made from genuine calf leather with suede lining, internal slop pocket, it has zipped top and magnetic fastening for easy access, and has detachable, adjustable shoulder straps. It has the following dimensions: 4.5′ x 6.5′ x 2′ inches (H x W x D) and a chain length of 45.5 inches. It retails for $1690 USD or €1250 euro via MyTheresa.

I’m often critical of Saint Laurent under Hedi Slimane, but the man does have an undeniable knack for certain things. To me, his collections often feel cobbled together of riffs on pieces other labels have found cool-girl success with, like Chelsea boots and leather jackets marked up until they feel rarified, but that approach does turn out a lot of pieces that are enviable on their own. This week, the piece that’s caught my eye is the embossed snake version of the Saint Laurent Monogramme Mini Shoulder Bag.

This bag shape has always been my favorite of Saint Laurent’s offerings; it feels like the little purse a very cool girl in the 80s would take to an after-hours club downtown, complete with the retro-iconic YSL logo. Katherine has one, and I’ve always been just a little bit jealous.

This version, though, is my favorite yet. Not only is the body of the bag snake-embossed, but when you look closely, the signature logo is made of a series of entwined metal serpents. The transformation goes just far enough; it’s clear what you’re looking at, but the logo stays intact. If this version ever shows up in black, I will die on the spot.

Saint Laurent doesn’t do the splashy bag launches and re-launches every season that some brands do. Hedi Slimane has built his company’s popularity on trying to make the best versions of the things every woman already wants in her closet, whether that’s the perfect little going-out bag or the perfect pair of Chelsea boots to wear six months out of the year. That means that seasonal variation isn’t as important as it is to a brand like Fendi, and under those circumstances, a new bag launch is always intriguing.

The Saint Laurent Monogramme East-West Tote is a Pre-Fall 2015 addition to the existing Monogramme line that’s just become available for pre-order, and it’s traditional and discreet enough to make a solid workday bag for anyone heading into the office on a daily basis. It features the most subtle logo of all the Monogramme bags so far (a small, golden “YSL” on the removable clochette), it has an optional shoulder straps and, at 14 inches wide, it fits right into the work-bag sweet spot for most women.

The Monogramme is a little more subtle than Saint Laurent’s other super-popular tote, theSac de Jour, and it lacks the super-distinctive gusset and squared handle attachments that have made that tote a signature. This bag feels a little more businesslike, at least in its current iterations. The Monogramme is available for pre-order now, but it likely won’t ship until September.

Do you like this design better than the Sac de Jour, or not as much?

SAINT LAURENT MONOGRAMME CROC-STAMPED EAST-WEST TOTE

SAINT LAURENT MONOGRAMME EAST-WEST TOTE

This a new series called ‘Bag Versus’ where we evaluate similar bags and determine what’s a better buy over another bag pitting them against each other. This series will begin by evaluating the Saint Laurent Monogramme series with the classic ‘YSL’ logo that has been created in a number of styles. Two styles that are similar but different include the latest ‘Saint Laurent Monogramme Shopper Tote‘ and the ‘Saint Laurent Monogramme Shoulder Bag’.

At a glance these two bags appear very similar. Both have the same strap, they have the same price point (about $2,550 USD) and the also have similar boxy shapes.

So if you had to choose, which one is better? Here’s a run down of pros and cons of each.

The Saint Laurent Monogramme Shopper

Pros

It features a convenient centre zippered enclosures, similar to that of the GST. However, at $2,550 USD it’s just $350 lower than the Classic Chanel GST which is priced at $2,900 USD. This Shopper Tote features a top tab closure the securely fastens closed on the front of the flap. It measures about 13.75″ across making it a good everyday city bag with an interior depth of 4.5″.

Cons

The simple certain tab doesn’t exactly ensure that items can’t fall out of your bag. Imagine tipping the bag over, most likely small items like wallets and cell-phones that are not kept securely in the center zip could fall out.

The Saint Laurent Monogramme Shoulder

Pros

The Saint Laurent Monogramme Shoulder bag features a large ‘YSL’ logo on the front, which can be a positive item. The tab could also be a negative item for those that want a more subdued and less flashy 80’s look. The bag measures at around 12.25″ which is just one inch shy of the shopper tote, which makes it a lighter bag and smaller in stature. This bag could also be transferred to a clutch since the bag has a narrow depth at only 3 inches, which makes the bag more versatile than the shopper.

The shoulder bag fastenes securely in the front, and the flap will prevent your items from falling out of it easily.

Cons

The interior of the Shoulder bag is pretty minimal. There is one large opening and a pretty narrow interior pocket. There isn’t too much in terms of interior organization, unlike the shopper tote, which has more compartments. However, the interior depth of three inches does allow you to view the contents fairly well, so there would be limited instances of rummaging the interior of your purse.

Conclusion

As with any purchase, it really depends on what you already have in your current arsenal. However, the Monogramme Shoulder bag is probably the best choice of the two since it can serve dual purposes, as an every day city bag and an evening bag.